Kats stumble in loss to GCU

Thursday, January 5

Huntsville

6:30 PM

11-4,1-2WAC

Grand Canyon

11-4,2-0WAC

OT 1

Grand Canyon

Sam Houston

Photo by: DJ Shafer

Kats stumble in loss to GCU

1/5/2023 9:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston failed to make the plays with the game on the line in a 72-68 setback against Grand Canyon at Johnson Coliseum on Thursday evening.

The Bearkats (11-4 overall, 1-2 in WAC) missed a pair of free throws with just over a minute to play that would have put them up four and then missed a layup in the closing seconds to force the game into overtime after the Lopes (11-4, 2-0) tied the game at 55.

GCU opened overtime with a 5-0 run to take control and led by as many as 69-61 before Sam Houston got a spark with a pair of 3-pointers by Qua Grant to cut the lead to four. Grant made a free throw to make it 71-68, but the Kats missed three shots from the line down the stretch that could have tied it.

Grant led Sam Houston with 26 points, and Cameron Huefner added 11 in the loss. Lamar Wilkerson had a team-high 10 rebounds to go along with four points.

The Kats shot the ball well, hitting 40 percent of their shots and led by as many as 31-21 with a minute to go in the first half. Sam Houston also hit 7 of 16 3-point attempts, but a 19 for 31 performance from the free throw line hurt the Kats in the end.

The Bearkats will be back in action Saturday when they host Tarleton at 4:30 p.m.